Elizabeth’s Cottage

Elizabeth’s Cottage on the Green is a 17th-century timber-framed cottage, tile hung at the first floor. It has a large inglenook fireplace and the original brick floor in the main living room. It was originally a two bed roomed cottage but is now extended at the side and back.

It is thought that the cottage may have belonged to a farm south of Leigh called ‘Muscombs’. It was owned by the Children family until 1822 when it was bought by the Penshurst Estate; it was sold by the Penshurst Estate in 1921 and sold on again later that year. In the Penshurst Sales Particulars (p19) it is described as a superior brick-built and tiled cottage, facing Leigh Green, and extending to an area of about 35 perches. Let to Mr Henry Maskell on a yearly (29th September) tenancy. The cottage contains: three bedrooms, attic, sitting room, kitchen, pantry and scullery. Company’s water and gas laid on.

The cottage was named ‘Elizabeth’s Cottage’ when it was bought in 1921 by Alice Mayne; it was called Elizabeth after Alice’s sister, Elizabeth, who lived in the cottage with her.

A number of people living in the village remember the cottage for two reasons; there was a ‘two-hole’ privy in the garden (probably necessary as there were apparently eleven in the family at that time). Also, in the garden of the cottage (where ‘Wildhatch’ is now) there was a tennis court and this was used in the 1920s and 30s by villagers.